R.i.p. Alf Weedon

[Ivanobe]

An absolute legend. Alf was a flower in a garden of weeds.

 

My last memory of Alf was in 2000 when visiting Wembley Stadium. I had just visited the Stadium for a tour, among many ex-riders, and was actually walking back to the hotel with Ove Fundin and Michael Lee, when a Rolls Royce went thundering by....with Alf leaning out of the passenger door shouting profanities at us. He was in paradise, and I have never seen him happier.

 

What a great photographer.

[spencebel]

Condolences to his family and friends at this time. RIP ALF.

[annie sawyer]

Alf was a true gentleman and a great character. He loved his Speedway and he definitely enjoyed his long life which is all we can ask but I will miss him.

[Guest]

There are some excellent articles about the late Alf Weedon in tn this week's 'Speedway Star" - written by Phil Rising, Martin Rogers and Tony McDonald.

[iris123]

There are some excellent articles about the late Alf Weedon in tn this week's 'Speedway Star" - written by Phil Rising, Martin Rogers and Tony McDonald.

I don't get the Speedway Star,could you please tell me/us what was said?

[Guest]

I don't get the Speedway Star,could you please tell me/us what was said?

 

It was praiseworthy recollections of Alf Weedon's role over many years in speedway.

[PHILIPRISING]

I don't get the Speedway Star,could you please tell me/us what was said?

THIS is what I wrote...

 

ALF WEEDON

 

FOR several decades Alf Weedon was the man behind the camera lens rather than in front of it yet his name resonated within speedway as much as any rider who ever graced the sport.

Alf the photographer was synonymous with Speedway Star for many years and during the halcyon days of the sport he enjoyed near celebrity status himself.

He was a larger than life character, his East London roots never forgotten or forsaken, but his prowess with a camera in an age before the equipment of today, which does so much of the hard work automatically, should not be under-estimated.

Alf didn’t just work as a speedway photographer, he was part of the fabric, even dabbling at promoting at one time, and always with an eye for a chance to supplement his income with the sale of souvenirs ... rosettes, badges, rattles, photos, the Weedon brand was omnipresent.

During my early days as an employee of Echo Publications, owners of Speedway Star, Soccer Star and World Soccer, Alf was a frequent visitor to our offices and one abiding memory is that he always had a huge wedge of cash in his back pocket.

He was the archetypical wheeler-dealer, always trying to keep one step ahead of the taxman, but if he wasn’t to be found at a speedway meeting, chances are that he would be on the dance floor somewhere.

With his immaculate, though shiny suits, and highly polished shoes and an ample sprinkling of bling, Alf was a sort of latter day Bruce Forsyth and had he been 40 years younger would have been an ideal participant on Strictly Come Dancing. He would have relished the spotlight.

Alf set a trail that was later followed by Mike Patrick – coincidentally, Mike’s middle name is Alf – who carved his own niche in speedway folklore.

It would be wrong to say that Alf saw Mike as his protégé and, in fact, he made life difficult for MP at times, but later he certainly appreciated the brilliance of the man who filled his shoes at Speedway Star after he re-joined his old boss, Robert Bolle, at the launch of Speedway Mail.

Alf was the product of a different era and if he could have his time again I suspect he would not change anything. He lived his life to the full and only declining health in recent years diminished his appearances on the speedway scene.

But it is testimony to his talent as a photographer and personality that his name shines brightly in the annals of speedway’s history.

[iris123]

Thanks Phil.Like you say it is remarkable what Alf and some of the others back then achieved with those old cameras.Was just wondering when and where he started out?Still have some of his speedway photo mags in the cellar.Not sure he ever got into doing books like Mike Patrick?I'll always remember the two of them out on the centre green at Plough Lane chatting away whilst getting ready,although of course it was generally Mike that caught the eye with his trousers and moustache etc

[Bunce]

A fitting tribute Philip, to a great man who will be sadly missed by all in the Speedway World. As a keen photographer, I always marvelled at Alf's pictures. To take action shots of a fast moving bike, with the awful floodlights of years ago, must have been a challenge even with a powerful flashgun. I had the pleasure of chatting to Alf a few years back at the Annual Veteran Speedway riders dinner in Norwich (now World Speedway Riders) As usual Alf was armed with a large expensive camera, and I was armed with a small inexpensive camera! He still found the time to come over and chat about photography with me, whilst I admired his camera. He gave me lots of tips, which I've put to good use now that I've moved up to the big expensive camera!

 

I would like to send my condolences to all his family at this sad time.

[speedibee]

I hope the many treasures of speedway memorabilia that Alf collected over the years will see the light of day somehwere in the not too distant future , I think it would be a fitting tribute to the man who was part of the fabric of speedway from the early glory days right up until more recent times , If he were to be afforded his own display area in the speedway musuem , where maybe some of the unusual and precious bits of memorabilia not just the photo's could be shown to the public . R.I.P. Alf , thanks for the memories ( And the money )

[teddy2706]

A memory I have of Alf that makes me smile;

We were on an organised trip to a World Final (cannot remember which, but it wasn't either of the ones that James Easter managed to lose me on) and on the return trip Alf appeared with a massive bag of cigar boxes.

He went round us all with a very sad expression and wheedling voice persuading many of us to take a box each through Customs as our duty free entitlement.

He was such a good actor, so sad, so humble, a victim of his cigar habit, could we please help?

When we cleared Customs in the UK Alf stood anxiously awaiting making sure none of us cleared off home with his prized cigars.

At least I hope the boxes contained cigars, how dim I was in those days, they could have contained anything!

[Guest]

A memory I have of Alf that makes me smile;

We were on an organised trip to a World Final (cannot remember which, but it wasn't either of the ones that James Easter managed to lose me on) and on the return trip Alf appeared with a massive bag of cigar boxes.

He went round us all with a very sad expression and wheedling voice persuading many of us to take a box each through Customs as our duty free entitlement.

He was such a good actor, so sad, so humble, a victim of his cigar habit, could we please help?

When we cleared Customs in the UK Alf stood anxiously awaiting making sure none of us cleared off home with his prized cigars.

At least I hope the boxes contained cigars, how dim I was in those days, they could have contained anything!

 

I have a nagging feeling that I owed Alf Weedon 50p (10 shllings old money as it was in about 1960) and possibly the same amount to former rider Tommy Sweetman.

In today's terms that's £9.76p each!

To salve my conscience I'll leave an overall amount in the charity box when I next visit my local hospice.

Edited January 28, 2014 by Guest